By now you know it’s vital to rest and recover after a run or a race. One overlooked piece of that recovery is your nutrition! And we’ve got some seriously good news about one of those feel good foods from childhoods: the classics PB&J is indeed a recovery food!
Our goal is both restocking those depleted muscles AND simply finding foods that sound good after a hard effort.
So let’s talk about it!
Why Food Is Important To Recovery
Restoring your glycogen stores, repairing muscle damage, and replenishing essential nutrients is all vital post run. It’s one of the many reasons that runners need carbohydrates and why unlike standard nutrition recommendations, we aren’t always looking for the highest fiber options.
Glycogen is the stored form of carbs used for energy, and since running depletes them, replenishing them is a must.
Pre, during and post run we’re often focused on fuel that the body can quickly use. The sooner you give your body nutrients to repair muscle damage, the sooner you kick off recovery and prevent drops in energy.
Of course it’s not just carbs that we want.
Protein helps repair micro tears in muscle tissue, and If you chow down on foods that contain healthy fats and vitamins they support the body’s ability to maximize recovery and muscle…
